We hope you’ve enjoyed the last bit of 2019 and welcomed 2020 with a bright smile! Talk about a bright smile, how are your teeth and gums after all the family gatherings, sumptuous meals, and endless flow of wine? Is your oral health still on its optimum health? If not, keep on reading as we’ve curated several tips on how to take care of your teeth after the busy holiday season.

For yellowed and stained teeth

Many of us are guilty of binge-eating and -drinking delicious food and sweet beverages. We can’t help it as the holiday season is best enjoyed by eating and drinking your favorites with your loved ones. However, there are some consequences such as yellowed and stained teeth. As per dentists, acidic food and drinks encourage more and faster bacteria buildup in the oral cavity – making way for stubborn stains, discoloration, and hardened plaque.

For eliminating the yellowish appearance of the teeth, whitening treatment will do. The dentist will use strong bleaching gels and innovative light technology to whiten each tooth up to five shades lighter. The treatment could be completed in just one visit and you can have guaranteed whiter pearly whites in an instant!

Meanwhile, for the hardened plaque or tartar caused by excessive bacteria buildup (due to sweet food, acidic drinks, and improper oral hygiene), it is best advised to avail deep cleaning treatment. The dentist will clean the teeth and gums by scraping the plaque and tartar with sterile dental tools. Then, special gels are used to polish the pearly whites.

For damaged teeth

Have you bit food the wrong way and chipped off your teeth? Or have you experienced an unexpected oral injury this holiday season? There are several dental treatments that can bring your damaged pearly whites back to its best shape.

Enamel contouring best works for minimal damage such as chipping or small gaps between teeth. The process involves a dental professional examining your affected tooth then shaping its enamel (protective layer of the tooth) to be even with the other teeth. This treatment can also correct gaps and minimal teeth misalignments.

Another popular procedure for damaged teeth is dental veneers. Dental veneers work by removing the damaged or decayed part of the tooth then covering it with artificial tooth-like material. Most dentists used porcelain veneers for the front part of the teeth as this type promises natural-looking and long-lasting results.

If the tooth is damaged completely, you can repair it with another tooth-like material. In this case, crowns. Dental crownsare designed as fixed prosthetic devices to cover a badly-damaged tooth. They can also act as a replacement tooth to fill the gap when a decayed tooth is extracted.

These treatments not only repair the damage on your teeth, they also improve the overall aesthetics of your smile.

For mouth sores

For stubborn oral sores that hinder the way you eat, drink and speak, ask your dentist for gels and ointments to be applied. However, if your mouth sores are complex and show signs of progressing to other dental diseases, your dentist may suggest oral surgery, too. It is best to consult a dentist immediately when one has persistent mouth sores to prevent further complications.

Taking care of your pearly whites, as well as your overall dental health, after the busy holiday season, is easy when you have good communication with your dentist. Set an appointment with your dentist today and begin 2020 with your best smile!